#2 Terps Draw at Stanford in Season Opener

The No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer team battled from two goals down to record a 3-3 draw at Stanford Friday night in the season opener.

Patrick Mullins, Schillo Tshuma and Jake Pace all registered goals as Maryland (0-0-1) picked up the tie after going two goals down in the first half.

Following a block by Maryland near the goal line, Aaron Kovar’s shot was deflected off of rookie defender Alex Crognale and into the back of the net for an own goal and an early 1-0 Stanford lead at 7:36.

The Terrapin starting defense, comprised of freshmen Crognale, Suli Dainkeh and keeper Zack Steffen, began to settle in midway through the period but suffered another setback when Jordan Morris set up Zach Batteer for a score down the center of the box at the 36th minute mark.

Mullins sliced the lead in half with his first goal of the 2013 campaign. Following a foul to Pace just wide of the box, Mikey Ambrose’s ensuing free kick flicked off the head of Mullins and past Cardinal keeper Drew Hutchins for the tally at 40:25.

The 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy winner nearly tied it up to begin the second half but his open look trickled into the arms of a diving Hutchins three minutes into the period.

After a spectacular stop by Steffen off a Morris breakaway, the Terps manufactured an equalizing set piece in the 55th minute. Sunny Jane’s serve from the far side gave Tshuma the header score to the near post for a 2-2 score.

Batteer put the Cardinal back on top with a 60-yard solo drive, culminating with an open look past Steffen for a 3-2 cushion.

Pace knotted the game at 3-3 with the Terps’ second set piece goal of the night with four minutes remaining. Tsubasa Endoh’s corner kick from the near sideline found Pace at the far post for the senior captain’s first goal of the season and vaulted Maryland into the extra stanza.

Neither team managed a shot in the first overtime, but Stanford was dealt a red card late in the period and was forced to play a man down for the remainder.

Despite three scoring chances and four corner kicks, the Terps were unable to put a fourth goal on the board and finished the match with a draw. Stanford did not record a shot in extra time and the Terps outshot the Cardinal 17-13 on the day and battled through 42 Stanford fouls.

“It was the first game of the year…lots of mistakes, lots of energy, some opportunistic goals by both sides and some great goals,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “I thought it was a game we could’ve won and we could’ve lost.

“We are going to grow from this. We showed some character and we showed some fight and at the end of the day I’m very disappointed with the result but I’m proud of the way we battled back from two goals down.”

Maryland travels to California for a match against the Bears in Berkeley on Sunday at 5:30 p.m.